With Christmas here I think back to my childhood presents. I grew up being poor, so gifts were not always great, but I always had something under the tree. I did have a couple of really cool presents though. I had it much better than my father did, as he grew up poor, with twelve siblings, and his father died when he was still a kid, so his best gift was a football that was shared between three brothers. His worst was probably oranges, and nuts, which were par for them. Now here's mine.

Best Christmas gifts ever...

Worst gifts...

A dirty old half inflated ball given to me by an aunt.

Many years later...the same aunt gave me a burnt copy of a Def Leopard album...you know, because I like rock an roll. Scrawled on the disc was Deaf Leaper [sic]

A shitty plastic looking and feeling 'metal' pen that was also a torch.

Presumably it was so that you could write in the dark.

However, design-wise, the torch part shined up into your eyes as you wrote and not down on to the page.

It was the best present that year because of the strangely translated (from Chinese) instructions.

I wish I still had it.

The instructions included stuff like:

Open off screw the part A. from the part 2.

Take the part 1. and insert up to the part 2.

etc.

It kept me entertained for hours.

Ah! Happy times.

Actually, it's kinda weird to think about presents at christmas. Like something from the distant past.

Being that strange breed of English speaker, your post was made more interesting by the fact that I thought the pen was a literal torch and I couldn't figure out why someone would make a pen that also finish the top of a creme brûlée or baked Alaska. Still, who wouldn't want one of those?

"All that is necessary for the triumph of Calvinism is that good Atheists do nothing." ~Eric Oh My

A shitty plastic looking and feeling 'metal' pen that was also a torch.

Presumably it was so that you could write in the dark.

However, design-wise, the torch part shined up into your eyes as you wrote and not down on to the page.

It was the best present that year because of the strangely translated (from Chinese) instructions.

I wish I still had it.

The instructions included stuff like:

Open off screw the part A. from the part 2.

Take the part 1. and insert up to the part 2.

etc.

It kept me entertained for hours.

Ah! Happy times.

Actually, it's kinda weird to think about presents at christmas. Like something from the distant past.

Being that strange breed of English speaker, your post was made more interesting by the fact that I thought the pen was a literal torch and I couldn't figure out why someone would make a pen that also finish the top of a creme brûlée or baked Alaska. Still, who wouldn't want one of those?

That would be a 'blowtorch'.

Perhaps I should have said 'flashlight' but the light did not 'flash'.

"who wouldn't want one of those?" you ask. You don't think a pen/blowtorch would be frigging awesome?

I remember when I was 10 and visited an aunt for christmas she told me I may pick a present from under the tree. I picked the one with the most interesting shape and it turned out to be a waterbottle, like the ones for workout you know. She smiled at me "do you like it?" I forced a smile and nodded and went to play without the bottle. I think I lost it shortly after

The best Christmas present ever actually wasn't even material. That was when my (now) hubby picked me up from Germany to move in with him.

I was very bad again this year, apparently, as I was again left to buy gifts and not receive any...will hold onto that "better to give than to receive" sentiment. I will just think again through 2013...maybe this year.

(25-12-2012 09:54 AM)Anjele Wrote: I was very bad again this year, apparently, as I was again left to buy gifts and not receive any...will hold onto that "better to give than to receive" sentiment. I will just think again through 2013...maybe this year.

(25-12-2012 09:54 AM)Anjele Wrote: I was very bad again this year, apparently, as I was again left to buy gifts and not receive any...will hold onto that "better to give than to receive" sentiment. I will just think again through 2013...maybe this year.

I'd be happy to share with you the compact screwdriver set I got with a bible verse on the handle.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of Calvinism is that good Atheists do nothing." ~Eric Oh My